EM: HE-HTDT? Piestewa Family preview

ON ITS SEASON FINALE, "EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION -
HOW'D THEY DO THAT?" GOES BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THE BUILDING OF A NEW HOME FOR THE FAMILY OF A FALLEN NATIVE AMERICAN HEROINE KILLED IN IRAQ AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CENTER FOR NATIVE AMERICAN MILITARY VETERANS -- MONDAY, MAY 23 ON ABC

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition -- How'd They Do That? Piestewa Family" - On Sunday, May 22, viewers will witness how the design team provided a new home for the family of Lori Piestewa, a Native American who was killed trying to save her friends when her unit, the 507th Maintenance Company, came under attack in Iraq. In addition to the building of the new home in Flagstaff, Arizona, viewers will also see how the design team simultaneously built a Veteran's Memorial Center on land belonging to the Navajo Nation. The building of the two new structures is the subject of the Season Finale of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - How'd They Do That?," MONDAY MAY 23 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

In March 2003, Lori Piestawa lost her life, becoming the first American woman killed in the Iraq war and the first Native American woman killed in a foreign war. She died while trying to save the lives of her friends, former POWs Shoshannah Johnson and Lori's best friend and roommate, Jessica Lynch.

Lori was the divorced mother of two young children, Brandon and Carla. The children were living in a small mobile home on a reservation with their grandparents, Percy and Terry Piestewa. Lynch nominated Lori's parents for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and participated in the building of the new 4336-square-ft. home, erected on land donated by the San Manuel band of Mission Indians.

Meanwhile, in Tuba City, Arizona, the design team was building a Veterans Memorial Center, the first of its kind designed for Native Americans who served in the armed services. Lori was the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and the granddaughter of a World War II veteran.

As with all of the intense remodeling projects that "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" undertakes, there is a great deal that goes on that does not make it into the final broadcast. Some of this episode's highlights include:

* Jessica Lynch recounting the pact she made with Lori that, if anything were to ever happen to either of them, they would make sure the other person's family was taken care of.

* With the designers observing, the Piestewa family members perform various Native American rituals, including "feeding the spirits" and a Hopi eagle dance ritual.

* U.S. veterans from the Hopi and Navajo tribes participating in the dedication ceremony for the new veterans' center.

* How the designers incorporated the Piestewa's Native American heritage into the home's various rooms.

The design team for this episode will feature team leader Ty Pennington, Paul DiMeo, Paige Hemmis, Michael Moloney, Preston Sharp, Constance Ramos, Ed Sanders and Eduardo Xol. The series is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA. It's executive-produced by Tom Forman. The co-executive producer of this episode is Michael Maloy.